LAS VEGAS: Miss North Carolina USA Kristen Dalton was crowned Miss USA 2009 on Sunday, beating out 50 other beauty queens
in the live pageant
Dalton is Miss USA
Miss North Carolina Dalton blows a kiss to a TV camera after being crowned Miss USA 2009 in Las Vegas. (Reuters Photo)
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televised from Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The 22-year-old aspiring motivational speaker edged out first runner-up Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and second runner-up Miss Arizona USA Alicia-Monique Blanco.

Contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia competed in the pageant, aired live on NBC. Contestants were judged by their performance in swimsuit and evening gown modelling contests and their responses to a question asked onstage; unlike the rival Miss America pageant, Miss USA contestants do not perform a talent.

The top 15 contestants worked the stage in white string bikinis designed by pop star
Jessica Simpson’s swimwear line. Rocker Kevin Rudolf performed his song “Let it Rock,” followed by The Veronicas, who performed their single “Untouched” as the top 10 beauties showed off their choice of glittering evening gowns.

Dalton’s title comes with a year’s use of a New York apartment, a public relations team, a two-year scholarship at the New York Film Academy and an undisclosed salary.

She also will go to the Bahamas in August to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, where American beauties haven’t been lucky in recent years. Both Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart and her predecessor, Rachel Smith, fell on stage during the evening gown competition, becoming accidental YouTube stars.

Asked about the tumble during the show on Sunday, Stewart said it was a lesson in bouncing back from defeat.

“I think it was a true test of my character,” said the 27-year-old Texan, who worked to raise awareness for breast cancer as she travelled the globe promoting the beauty contest.

If there is a YouTube moment from Sunday’s show, it may be Miss California’s answer to a question about legalizing same-sex marriage. The tall blonde stumbled some before giving an answer that appeared to please the pageant audience.

“We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage,” Prejean said. “And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offence to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”

Some in the audience cheered, others booed. The pageant had enjoyed a scandal-free year until earlier this month, when Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza was skewered for a blog posting from a trip to Guantanamo Bay. The entry described having “aloooot of fun” at a base that houses the notorious military prison; it was later deleted from the pageant’s Web site.

The contest, which is owned by NBC and reality TV mogul Donald Trump, was hosted by “Access Hollywood” co-anchor Billy Bush and Nadine Velazquez of the NBC sitcom “My Name is Earl.” This year’s judges included “Saturday Night Live” cast member Kenan Thompson, “Dancing with the Stars” winner Kelly Monaco and gossip blogger Perez Hilton.